20 Prospects to Watch in CIF-SS Open Division Games

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The CIF Southern Section postseason is winding closer and closer to the championship games with semifinal contests being played all across the Southland tonight. In this piece we take a quick look at the top prospects who are competing tonight</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1502809' first='Aidan' last='Fowler'] | JSerra</strong> - The 5-foot-10 guard is one of the most dynamic scorers and playmakers in the region. His mid-range jumper is one of the most deadly weapons in his arsenal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1630650' first='Brandon' last='Benjamin'] | Mater Dei</strong> - The 6-foot-5 junior has elite footwork and touch around the basket in addition to his high basketball IQ and vision as a passer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2131779' first='Brandon' last='McCoy'] | St. John Bosco </strong>- McCoy is one of the most prolific offensive wings in the country and his ability to fill up the scoring column, combined with his size and athleticism, make him an elite next-level prospect.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1630617' first='Brayden' last='Burries'] | Roosevelt</strong> - Burries' two-way impact is what makes him such a highly-recruited prospect. His combination of physicality and explosive athleticism makes him an elite downhill attacking threat and those same traits allow him to defend multiple positions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1502766' first='Carter' last='Bryant'] | Corona Centennial </strong>- Bryant is one of the more versatile players in the country with his inside-out scoring skill-set and ability to defend on the perimeter and protect the rim.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1502796' first='Darnez' last='Slater'] | Roosevelt</strong> - Slater impacts the game in a variety of ways with his presence as a playmaker with the ball in his hands and a shot-maker when playing off-ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1630631' first='Douglas' last='Langford'] | St. Pius X-St. Matthias</strong> - The 6-foot-8 forward/center is one of the best offensive and defensive rebounders in the state with a burgeoning offensive skill-set.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1630620' first='Elzie' last='Harrington'] | St. John Bosco</strong> - Harrington is as high IQ of a playmaker as we have in high school basketball and his 6-foot-5 frame, physicality and athleticism makes him an elite attacker of the rim off the dribble.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1502773' first='Eric' last='Freeny'] | Corona Centennial</strong> - Freeny is as solid all-around as they come. The 6-foot-4 wing is a multi-positional defender, high-rate rebounder and guy who can create shots for his teammates and himself.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1630629' first='Isaac' last='Williamson'] | Roosevelt</strong> - There are few prospects in the state who can shoot the three-ball as deep and as consistently as the 6-foot-1 junior. Williamson has also proven to be one of the best defenders in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1502811' first='Justin' last='Pippen'] | Sierra Canyon</strong> - Pippen has had a breakout season which has followed with high major interest. The 6-foot-3 point guard is an elite playmaker off the dribble, knocks down the three-ball with consistency and defends the ball at a high level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1630622' first='Kade' last='Bonam'] | St. John Bosco</strong> - Bonam is back healthy from a shoulder injury and his offensive and defensive versatility will be key if Bosco is to upset Harvard-Westlake and earn a trip to the Open title game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1956507' first='Luke' last='Barnett'] | Mater Dei</strong> - Barnett is the type of player you never want to see having time and space with his feet set behind the three-point line. The 6-foot-3 sophomore shooting guard has one of the most pure shooting strokes in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1630660' first='Myles' last='Walker'] | Roosevelt</strong> - The junior might not have the traditional measureables of a new-age point guard but his toughness, basketball IQ and defensive feel and IQ make him one of the best guards in SoCal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1630618' first='Nik' last='Khamenia'] | Harvard-Westlake</strong> - The 6-foot-8 junior wing/forward would be in the conversation of best prospects in the state regardless of class due to his dribble, pass and shoot skill-set.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1502776' first='Noah' last='Williams'] | Sierra Canyon</strong> - Williams has come on strong his senior year. The wiry 6-foot-8 forward has always had the size and tools to be one of the best players in the state and now he's adding production to that mix.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1188984' first='Robert' last='Hinton'] | Harvard-Westlake </strong>- Hinton has a rare combination of glue-guy and go-to-guy in his game. The 6-foot-4 Harvard-bound wing is an elite slasher and finisher who can also knock down mid-range jumpers. Hinton is also the first guy to the floor for a loose ball and defends at a high level in team and individual concepts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1502779' first='Sebastian' last='Rancik'] | JSerra</strong> - The Colorado-signee has floor stretching ability to the three-point line at 6-feet-9. Rancik is also a good passer and ball-handler when initiating offense in a point-forward role.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1502769' first='Trent' last='Perry'] | Harvard-Westlake</strong> - Perry has that modern point guard skill-set where he can take over a game with scoring or controlling pace and creating for teammates. The USC-signee is a fluid playmaker, shot-maker and decision-maker.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1502771' first='Tyrone' last='Riley'] | St. Pius X-St. Matthias</strong> - Riley is your prototypical Division 1 wing with his 6-foot-7 frame, broad shoulders, wiry length and ability to shoot the three-ball off the catch and off the bounce.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->